History of Barcelona in Timeline

Barcelona is a major city on Spain's northeastern coast, serving as the capital of Catalonia. It boasts a population of 1.6 million within the city and around 5.3 million in its metropolitan area, making it a significant urban center in the European Union. Situated on the Mediterranean coast between the Llobregat and Besòs rivers and bordered by the Serra de Collserola mountains, it is a prominent metropolis in the region.

1900: Barcelona Population

In 1900, Barcelona had a population of 533,000.

1920: Laboratori de Natura operations

From 1920 to 2010, the Laboratori de Natura, located at the Castle of the Three Dragons, operated as the Zoology Museum.

1924: Martorell Museum Opening

The Martorell Museum was opened to the public in 1924 as a geology museum and was the historical seat of the Museum of Natural Sciences.

1929: Barcelona International Exposition

In 1929, Barcelona hosted the Barcelona International Exposition (Expo 1929).

1929: Barcelona Pavilion Design

In 1929, Mies van der Rohe designed the Barcelona Pavilion for the International Exposition for Germany. It became an iconic building symbolizing modern architecture.

1930: Barcelona Pavilion Demolition

In 1930, less than a year after its construction, the Barcelona Pavilion was torn down.

1930: Historical Botanical Garden Founding

The Historical Botanical Garden of Barcelona was founded in 1930.

1931: Capital of Autonomous Catalonia

In 1931, Barcelona became the capital of autonomous Catalonia.

1936: Epicenter of the Spanish Revolution

In 1936, Barcelona was the epicenter of the revolution experienced by Catalonia during the Spanish Revolution.

January 1939: Fall of Barcelona

In January 1939, specifically on the 26th, Barcelona fell, leading to a mass exodus of civilians fleeing to the French border.

1939: Capture by Fascists

In 1939, Barcelona was captured by the fascists.

1945: Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art Focus

The Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art focuses on post-1945 Catalan and Spanish art.

1950: Catalan modernista architecture development

Catalan modernista architecture (related to Art Nouveau) developed between 1885 and 1950, leaving a significant legacy in Barcelona.

1950: Absorption of People

In 1950, Barcelona started absorbing a high number of people from other less-industrialized parts of Spain.

1957: Foundation of EADA Business School

In 1957, the EADA Business School was founded, becoming the first Barcelona institution to run manager training programmes for the business community.

1960: First Version of Municipal Law

In 1960, the first version of the Barcelona's Carta Municipal (Municipal Law) was passed.

1960: Can Framis Museum Focus

The Can Framis Museum is focused on post-1960 Catalan Art owned by Fundació Vila Casas.

1975: Death of Franco

In 1975, the death of Franco initiated a period of democratization throughout Spain, with strong pressure for change in Barcelona.

September 1977: Demonstrations for Catalan Autonomy

In September 1977, specifically on the 11th, massive demonstrations assembled over a million people in Barcelona to call for the restoration of Catalan autonomy, which was granted less than a month later.

1979: Population Peak

Barcelona's population peaked in 1979 at 1,906,998.

1982: Matches During FIFA World Cup

Barcelona hosted several matches during the 1982 FIFA World Cup.

1986: Spanish Accession to European Community

In 1986, Barcelona's development was promoted by Spanish accession to the European Community, and Barcelona's designation as host city of the 1992 Summer Olympics.

1986: Barcelona Pavilion Reconstruction

In 1986, Spanish architects completed a modern re-creation of the Barcelona Pavilion in Barcelona.

1987: ETA Car Bombing at Hipercor

In 1987, an ETA car bombing at Hipercor killed 21 people.

1987: Division into Administrative Districts

Since 1987, the city of Barcelona has been divided into 10 administrative districts.

1990: Pre-Olympic Construction

Between 1990 and 2004, as part of preparation for the games, new construction increased the road capacity of the city by 17%, the sewage handling capacity by 27% and the amount of new green areas and beaches by 78%.

1990: Tourism Boom

In 1990, Barcelona's tourism industry saw a significant increase, with the number of visitors rising to 1.7 million.

1992: Barcelona Hosted Summer Olympics

Barcelona hosted the highly successful 1992 Summer Olympics.

1992: Hosting the Summer Olympics

In 1992, Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympics, driving major changes in the city's infrastructure and perception.

1992: Use of Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys for Olympics

In 1992, the publicly owned Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys was used for the Olympics.

1992: Estació del Nord Renovation

The Estació del Nord (Northern Station) was renovated for the 1992 Olympic Games, now serving as the terminus for long-distance and regional bus services.

1992: Opening of city beaches

The city restructured to host the 1992 Summer Olympics and opened the city beaches: Nova Icària, Bogatell, Mar Bella, Nova Mar Bella and Llevant.

1996: Proportion of inhabitants born outside of Spain

In 1996, 3.9% of the inhabitants of Barcelona were born outside of Spain.

1997: Industrial Establishments in Catalonia

As of 1997, the Barcelona metropolitan area accounted for 67% of the total number of industrial establishments in Catalonia.

1999: RIBA Royal Gold Medal

Barcelona won the 1999 RIBA Royal Gold Medal for its architecture, marking the first time the award was given to a city instead of an individual architect.

1999: Inauguration of L'Auditori

In 1999, the Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra inaugurated its new venue in the brand-new Auditorium (L'Auditori).

1999: Botanical garden of Barcelona Founding

The Botanical garden of Barcelona was founded in 1999.

2000: Population Bottoms Out

After bottoming out in 2000 with 1,496,266 residents, the city's population began to rise again.

2000: Cultural Roots

Barcelona's cultural roots go back 2000 years.

2000: Bread & Butter Urban Fashion Fair

Beginning in the summer of 2000, Barcelona hosted the Bread & Butter urban fashion fair.

2001: Proportion of inhabitants born outside of Spain

In 2001, 8.6% of the inhabitants of Barcelona were born outside of Spain.

2001: New Wave of Immigration

Since 2001, a new wave of immigration, particularly from Latin America and from Morocco, has gathered pace in Barcelona.

2002: Diagonal Mar Park Inauguration

Diagonal Mar Park, with 13.3 ha (32.9 acres), was inaugurated in 2002.

2004: Increase in Hotel Rooms

Between 1990 and 2004, the number of hotel rooms in the city doubled.

2004: Very High GDP

In 2004, Barcelona city had a very high GDP of €80,894 per head, according to Eurostat.

2004: Universal Forum of Cultures and World Urban Forum

In 2004, Barcelona hosted the Universal Forum of Cultures and the 2004 World Urban Forum.

2004: Universal Forum of Cultures

The 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures left Barcelona a large concrete bathing zone on the eastmost part of the city's coastline.

March 2006: Approval of the Current Municipal Law

In March 2006, the current version of Barcelona's Carta Municipal (Municipal Law) was approved, outlining the organization and powers of the city council.

2006: CosmoCaixa Award

In 2006, CosmoCaixa, a science museum in Barcelona, received the European Museum of the Year Award.

March 2007: Bicing Service Launch

On 22 March 2007, Barcelona's City Council initiated the Bicing service, a public bicycle transport system. Within three months, it gained 50,000 subscribed users.

May 2007: Municipal Election

After the May 2007 election, the ERC did not renew the coalition agreement and the PSC governed in a minority coalition with ICV as the junior partner.

2007: Religion of inhabitants

In 2007, most of the inhabitants stated they are Roman Catholic.

2008: Population Density Calculation

For the year 2008 the city council calculated the population to 1,621,090 living in the 102.2 km sized municipality, giving the city an average population density of 15,926 inhabitants per square kilometre.

2008: High-speed rail extension

In 2008, the RENFE's AVE high-speed rail system was extended from Madrid to Barcelona with the Madrid–Barcelona high-speed rail line.

June 2009: New Terminal at Barcelona-El Prat Airport

On 17 June 2009, a new terminal (T1) at Barcelona-El Prat Airport entered service.

2009: Catalan Education Act

According to the 2009 Catalan Education Act, the language of instruction at public schools and escoles concertades is Catalan.

2009: The Brandery Urban Fashion Show

From 2009, The Brandery, an urban fashion show, was held in Barcelona twice a year.

2009: FC Barcelona Won Sextuple

In 2009, FC Barcelona won six trophies in a calendar year, becoming one of only 2 male football teams in the world to win the coveted sextuple.

2009: Bread & Butter Fair Moves to Berlin

In 2009, organizers of the Bread & Butter urban fashion fair announced its return to Berlin, impacting Barcelona's economy.

2009: Gross GDP in the European Union

In 2009, the greater Barcelona metropolitan area had a GDP amounting to $177 billion, making it the 4th most economically powerful city by gross GDP in the European Union.

2010: Barcelona Marathon

The Barcelona Marathon in March 2010 had over 10,000 participants.

2010: Martorell Museum Closing

The Martorell Museum, the historical seat of the Museum of Natural Sciences, was opened to the public from 1924 to 2010 as a geology museum.

May 2011: CiU Gained Plurality of Seats

On 22 May 2011, CiU gained a plurality of seats at the municipal election, gaining 15 seats to the PSC's 11.

2011: Museum of Natural Sciences Merge

In 2011, the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona merged with five institutions, including the Martorell Museum, the Laboratori de Natura, and the Historical Botanical Garden of Barcelona.

2011: Catholic Residents

In a 2011 survey conducted by InfoCatólica, 49.5% of Barcelona residents of all ages identified themselves as Catholic.

2012: City Destination Ranking

By 2012, Barcelona was the 12th most popular city destination in the world and the 5th amongst European cities.

2012: The Brandery Urban Fashion Show Held Last Time

In 2012, The Brandery, an urban fashion show, was held in Barcelona for the last time.

2013: Linguistic Census

According to the linguistic census held by the Government of Catalonia in 2013, Spanish is the most spoken language in Barcelona and it is understood almost universally. Catalan is also very commonly spoken in the city: it is understood by 95% of the population, while 72.3% can speak it, 79% can read it, and 53% can write it.

2013: Host City for World Aquatics Championships

In 2013, Barcelona was the host city for the World Aquatics Championships, which were held at the Palau San Jordi.

2013: RENFE-SNCF high-speed rail launch

In 2013, a shared RENFE-SNCF high-speed rail line connecting Barcelona and France (Paris, Marseille, and Toulouse, through Perpignan–Barcelona high-speed rail line) was launched, serving the Barcelona Sants terminal station.

2013: Pleasure cruise passengers

In 2013, the Barcelona harbor served 3.6 million pleasure cruise passengers, solidifying its position as a leading European cruiser port and a significant Mediterranean turnaround base.

2013: FC Barcelona Museum Visitors

In 2013, the FC Barcelona Museum attracted 1.51 million visitors, becoming the third most popular tourist attraction in Catalonia.

2013: Port of Barcelona trade volume

In 2013, the Port of Barcelona had a trade volume of 1.72 million TEU's, making it Europe's ninth-largest container port.

2014: Southern European City of the Future

Barcelona was recognized as the Southern European City of the Future for 2014/15, based on its economic potential, by FDi Magazine in their bi-annual rankings.

2014: Muslim population in Barcelona

In 2014, 322,698 out of 5.5 million people in the province of Barcelona identified themselves as Muslim, which makes 5.6% of the total population.

2015: RIBA Royal Gold Medal

As of 2015, Barcelona is still the only city that has won the RIBA Royal Gold Medal for its architecture rather than an individual architect. The city received the award in 1999.

2015: Sagrada Familia completion estimate

As of 2015, the completion of the Sagrada Família church, which has been under construction since 1882, was planned for 2026.

2015: Livable City Ranking

Barcelona was the 24th most "livable city" in the world in 2015 according to lifestyle magazine Monocle.

2015: Barcelona Ranked Seventh Most Important Fashion Capital

In 2015, Barcelona was named the seventh most important fashion capital of the world by the Global Language Monitor.

2015: Barcelona Designated as City of Literature

Since 2015, Barcelona has been part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Literature.

March 2016: Hotels

As of March 2016, Barcelona had 519 hotels including 35 five-star hotels.

2016: Barcelona Ranked Among Safest Cities

In 2016, Barcelona was ranked as the 15th safest city in the world by Business Insider, attributed to a sophisticated policing strategy that reduced crime by 32% over three years.

2016: Origin of Inhabitants

In 2016, about 59% of the inhabitants of the city were born in Catalonia, 18.5% came from the rest of the country, and 22.5% were born outside of Spain.

May 2017: Barcelona Included in "Eight Places That Hate Tourists the Most"

In May 2017, The Independent included Barcelona in a list of "Eight Places That Hate Tourists the Most". Mayor Ada Colau stated "We don't want the city to become a cheap souvenir shop". The city stopped issuing licenses for new hotels and holiday apartments and fined Airbnb €30,000.

August 2017: Attack on La Rambla

On August 17, 2017, a van was driven into pedestrians on La Rambla, killing 14 and injuring at least 100, one of whom later died. The Prime Minister of Spain, Mariano Rajoy, called the attack in Barcelona a jihadist attack.

2017: Population Demographics

In 2017, children constituted 12.7% of the population; people aged 15-24 made up 9%, 25-44 made up 30.6%, and 45-64 formed 56.9%. People aged 65 and older made up 21.5% of the population.

2017: Anti-Tourism Protests and Economic Impact

In early 2017, over 150,000 protesters demonstrated against the destabilizing effects of tourism, citing increased rental costs and overcrowding. Tourists spent an estimated €30 billion in 2017, but were viewed by some as a threat to Barcelona's identity.

2018: Passenger Traffic at Barcelona-El Prat Airport

In 2018, Barcelona-El Prat Airport handled more than 50.17 million passengers, showing an annual upward trend.

2019: Religion of residents

In 2019, a survey by Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas showed that 53.2% of residents in Barcelona identified themselves as Catholic (9.9% practising Catholics, 43.3% non-practising Catholics).

2020: Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report

According to the Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report 2020 Barcelona is one of the most affordable cities in the world for a luxury lifestyle.

2020: FC Bayern Munich Won Sextuple

In 2020, FC Bayern Munich became the second male football team in the world to win the coveted sextuple, after FC Barcelona in 2009.

July 2023: UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture

In July 2023, Barcelona was announced as the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture for the 2024–2026 term.

2023: Most Visited City Ranking

In 2023, Barcelona was the 9th most visited city in the world by international visitors and the fifth most visited city in Europe.

April 2024: Protests Against Overtourism

In April 2024, protests against overtourism began in Barcelona.

July 2024: Peak of Protests Against Overtourism

In July 2024, protests against overtourism in Barcelona reached their peak.

2024: Barcelona Population

As of 2024, Barcelona has a population of 1,686,208, on a land area of 101.4 km.

2024: UIA World Capital of Architecture Term Begins

In 2024, Barcelona will be the hub for discussion around global challenges including culture, heritage, urban planning and architecture.

July 2025: Continuation of Anti-Tourism Protests

In July 2025, anti-tourism protests, similar to those in Barcelona, took place in Southern Europe, including Palma and Lisbon, organized by the Southern Europe Network Against Touristification (SET).